Pipe-cleaning device



D 1s, l192s.

1,695,831 L. R. TITCOMB ET AL l PIPE CLEAN-ING DEVICE Filed July 7, 1926 cq. 'L

um "V ATTORNEYS lfec. i8, 1923.

unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE.;

LEE R. TITCOMB, OF BROOKLYN', ANDVHAR'RY S. ASHMUN, 0Fl NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIPE-CLEANING DEVICE.

y Application led July 7,

This invention relates toa newand' im-l proved form of pipe cleaning device.

@ne of the objects of' this invention. is to provide a pipe cleaning device adapted to be positively impelled Vin a pipe or sewer whichY is to be cleansed, by the propulsive action of a body of water whichis forced throughl and out of the device and acts as Wash water to remove the loose deposit orthe like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device. of this type in which abody of water forced through and out of the device operates to produce a positive mechanical traction, so that it is not necessary to merely rely upon the reaction of a part of the water forced through the device, after it has been rearwardly deflected. i

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this type. in which all or any desired portion of the body of water which is forced through the device can be caused to travel solely in the direction of the desired movement of the device.

Other objects of this invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention, it being understood that the above general statement of the objects of our invention is intended merelyto generally eX- plain the same and not to limit it in any'manner.

Fig. l is a front elevation partially in section.

Fig, 2 is a front elevation of the mouth of the device.

Fig. 3 is a detail end elevation of the device, and it is partially in section.

Fig. A is a side view of one of the tractor elements. l y

The device comprises a nozzle l made of any suitable metal and thisis connected to an ordinary flexible hose by means of a coupling 3 which may be of an suitable type. The noz zle l may be provic ed with lateral openings 4 which, however, Vare not necessaryfor the operation of this invention. At the front thereof the nozzle l is provided with vthree separated arms 5 whose ends form bearing elements in which the tractor elements 6 are revolubly mounted in'any suitable manner. As shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, the tractor elements 6 comprise wheels having paddles or buckets 7 to which lateral disk-like members 8 are secured in anysuitable man-` ner. These disk-like members 8 are providedl with teeth 9 at their peripheries, but these 1926. seriaino. 120,974.

The vanes or buckets 7 `may be curved' as shown in Fig. 4, or they may be straight as shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 2, the inner or adjacent ends of the tractor elements are quite close to each other, so as to define a passage l() which is substantially triangular in configuration. 'The opening or openings 1l in the nozzle l may be of any desired shape and dimensions and, for example, there may be an opening 1l corresponding to the inner portion of each tractor element adjacent the passagel 10, so that each tractor element is caused to turn when water is forced out of the nozzle l. Y

The operation of this device is as follows z- When t-he nozzle is introduced into a pipe or sewer to be cleaned, the weight thereof causes the said nozzle to rest upon two of the tractor elements 6. TvVhen the water is forced Y through and out of the nozzle 1., the tractor elements 6 are positively turned so that they act as propelling wheels to positively force the nozzle forward.

The drawings herein arev not according to scale rand the illustration is diagrammatic.

According to this invention, it is not necessary that any substantial amount of the water forced into the nozzle l should be rearwardly deflected by means of vanes, cups or the like in order to forwardly propel the device. While a portion of the water can be forced out of the nozzle in a lateral direction, the amount of this lateral stream of water can lbe regulated to any desired extent.

A preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown, but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions could be made without departing from its spirit.

Claims:

l. A pipe cleaning device comprising a nozzle adapted to have a body of water forced through and out therefrom, and tractor means associated with the said nozzle and adapted to be positively impelled by the movement of said body of Water, said tractor means being adapted to engage the inner Wall of the pipe.

2. A pipe cleaning device comprising a nozzle adapted to have a body of Water forced through and out therefrom7 and revoluble tractor means provided With vanes adapted to be impelled' by the said moving body of Water, the said tractor means being connected to the nozzle, said tractor means being adapted to engage the inner Wall of the pipe.

3. A pipe cleaning device comprising a nozzle having a plurality of paddle Wheels associated With the front end thereof7 the said nozzle being adapted to have a body of water forced through and ont therefrom, the said nozzle being open adjacent the inner pe- 'ripheries of the said paddle Wheels.

4. A pipe cleaning device. comprising a nozzle adapted to have a body of Water forced through and out therefrom, tractor means as sociated With said nozzle and adapted to be positively impelled by the movement of said body of Water, and cutting means forming part of the said tractor means.

5. A pipe cleaning device comprising a nozzle having a paddle Wheel associated with the front end thereof, the said paddle Wheel having a disk member extending substantially to the periphery thereof, the periphery of said disk member being provided with cutting means.

In testimony whereof We aiiix our signatures.

' LEE R. TITCOMB.

HARRY S. ASHMUN. 

